Sunset Lake Fishing near Gold Bar, Washington

• Overview

  Sunset Lake lies in King County, Washington. It sits in farm and woodlot country. Roughly 39 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Gold Bar sits 14 miles from the bank. It is 39 miles to Everett, the nearest city. Also worth knowing: Lake Simms 0.7 miles off, Fourth of July Lake roughly 0.8 miles, Eagle Lake 1.7 miles off, Howard Lake roughly 2.2 miles and Boulder Lake 2.3 miles off. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Sunset Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. King County records list Chum salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and yellow perch among the fish reported. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Sunset Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 26°F in December to roughly 58°F in August. Mild ends to the year keep the season long. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. That shapes the year on Sunset Lake. Barometer swings matter more than a degree or two.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Lake Simms, 0.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing here settles the position at Sunset Lake for certain.